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Pix

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Apologies for another car thread! There have been a couple recently I know, but I'ma do another one anways :p

When Loki arrived I was under the impression I could do a car swap with a family member when I wanted to take him out, until I had sorted an old banger for dog-transporting purposes. Unfortunately this has not really worked out (I won't bother going into it).

So! I thought my current car needed it's MOT soon. And it does. In fact, it's overdue as of Friday. Oh well. Anyways, with a fresh MOT and it being sort of nearly spring it seems like it's finally a good time to get it on autotrader for a half reasonable price.

But what car to replace it with?

I was initially going to splash out. Then I toned it down by a few K and decided I could just about scrape to a BMW X3 if I sold most of my possessions and hit my savings. However, pondering it further, I'd rather get something that will just do me for the next 3 years or so. I would like to do a masters in a couple of years time and spending the fees/living costs that I have saved up on a car would be a little bit short sighted. :rolleyes:

So the requirements are.... Must have a boot that will comfortably fit a large GSD with a dog guard, or will fit a dog crate without the back seats being pushed down....

....But! Must not be an estate type car :o I'm a real short arse and one of my few 'hates' with my roadster is the lack of visibility. Estates to me just seem too long and cumbersome but without the higher driving position to make up for it :o

A slightly more compact 4x4 would be fine (I yearn to sit so high up that I know where the nose of my car is, and can see to reverse out of spaces, and see to pull out of junctions when somebody is on my right/at roundabouts!), so long as it will do 30mpg or so urban. My commute into Uni is rarely during the worst of the traffic hours, and is only about 5-6 miles. I'd probably be doing more miles heading the other way into the peaks etc.

I've been considering a Freelander (Td4 type, 2001 onwards, diesels) but haven't spotted one in the flesh in a while. Can anyone vouch for the boot space? The interwebby photos don't seem to focus in on it enough! :p Or does anyone have a good recommendation for me to look at? Basically high driving position, 30mpg (ish), preferably a diesel, with the best boot you can get without going all the way to house-sized-station-wagon :o

Sorry for ramble. Cars make me ramble. I do love me vroom vrooms :o
 
nobody has peered into the back of a Freelander and checked it's boot space recently? I'm ablaze with disappointment! :(:p
 
Sadly, it's highly unlikely you'll get a 4x4 with 30mpg urban. Even the Honda CRV only does 26, less if you get the newer ones and they're only 2 litre.

A good alternative is an LPG running vehicle. OH has a 4 litre v8 Grand Cherokee (yum!) with LPG. The only downer is the scarcity servicing garages, nearest one being an hour away up the A1-nightmare!

I know you said no estate cars but the Vauxhall Signum is drawing my eye currently as I reckon it would fit 3 springers quite nicely, but the OH thinks there's not enough safety zone if hit from behind. :confused: dunno, but there's a St Bernard and a lab in one locally!

With the petrol/diesel prices set to rise, I'm thinking LPG short term (as gone from 56p to 77p in 4 years). The conversion price is about £2000 or less. Long term, nothing will help. :(

I know nowt about the Freelander, sorry, but the mpg is gonna hurt!
 
with the 30mpg I'm meaning the 'on paper, what the manufacturer said it will do' type thing. I know I wont get that out of it, but to be fair much of my urban miles are plain sailing to be honest. And the miles I do urban or not are pretty slim anyway. Will go up once I can get Loki out n about but we're still talking about 2/3k per year at most.

That said, I'd happily spend the 2k to convert to LPG if I was planning on keeping the car for a few years. It's something I'd have to look into to make sure it was worthwhile :)

I'm not sure about the Signums. As said I'm 5'2" so my visibility in a 'normal' car is crap since my eye-line is several inches below the normal person. I've adapted to the crappy visibility in the roadster but then it's so tiny that you can shove your foot down and get through tiny spaces without it being a problem. I worry that in something like a Signum I'd never really be able to see where the back end and front end of the car is. Never mind the curb and other cars :D
 
Boot space isnt fab in freelanders. I just ditched freelander in favour of nissan xtrail...much nicer, more economical, feels better built, drives nicer, and more boot space.

ets and much lower insurance bracket!
 
My mam had a few Freelanders (Crashed them all!), from what I remember the boot space was decent, enough for a GSD to have a snooze but not big enough for a partaaay.
 
Vizslak said:
Boot space isnt fab in freelanders. I just ditched freelander in favour of nissan xtrail...much nicer, more economical, feels better built, drives nicer, and more boot space.

ets and much lower insurance bracket!
Click to expand...

Yeah the boots do look a little tight tbh :( Though on the upside they actually exist unlike the Rav4 :D

If I can be very nosy (pm if prefer) what year etc is your Xtrail? Does it handle well in terms of maneuverability and how many trips around and about do you squeeze from a full tank? Does it feel like you're driving a big ass tank?

On an unrelated note, I've got a new soft spot for the new Ford Kugas. Don't know why, they just seem to grow on you. Fortunately I can't afford one so a mute point :D
 
yes loki would fit in one...but his crate wouldnt without seats down, I couldnt fit floras crate in and couldnt fit one large, one medium, and two smalls in loose either (not comfortably) so ended up squeezing the larger two in and putting terriers on back seat. Xtrail has a huge boot though. Nearly double the size. The other major issue with the freelander and the boot is the fact the window has to drop to open the damn thing, in the winter when you get up at the crack of dawn to go showing or shooting with the dog and its frozen shut this is a major problem!
 
its a 52 plate. It handles superbly and drives very car like, more so than the freelander and obviously far more so than the stoopid gert range rover vogue! :p Mileage wise obviously far more economical than both the above as well. I think it averages about 30 mpg BUT its a petrol and auto...obviously a manual and if you could get hold of a diesel I'm sure it would be even better. Its the most economical car I have owned for a long time! I honestly cant recommend the thing enough, I'm very pleased with it.
 
littlemisslauren said:
My mam had a few Freelanders (Crashed them all!), from what I remember the boot space was decent, enough for a GSD to have a snooze but not big enough for a partaaay.
Click to expand...

Well a Td4 Freelander isn't at all expensive on purchase which makes them appealing from a 'I need a doggy car fairly sharpish' point of view. Maybe I should take Loki with me to view cars, he could have a vote :D TBH I don't need to get 10 hay bales in the back, just a GSD snug and secure.

Anyway since we're on the topic of cars.... some car lols! :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGyH8Kf_0Fg&NR=1&feature=fvwp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3S5kKoefyqQ
 
Vizslak said:
its a 52 plate. It handles superbly and drives very car like, more so than the freelander and obviously far more so than the stoopid gert range rover vogue! :p Mileage wise obviously far more economical than both the above as well. I think it averages about 30 mpg BUT its a petrol and auto...obviously a manual and if you could get hold of a diesel I'm sure it would be even better. Its the most economical car I have owned for a long time! I honestly cant recommend the thing enough, I'm very pleased with it.
Click to expand...

My parents at one point had a damn tank of a Nissan, not sure if it was an Xtrail though as at the time I wasn't bothered enough to take notice :o I do remember it was comfy though! I'd be looking at a diesel most likely, wouldn't mind an auto as my current car is (I thought cars changing gear all by themselves was some form of devilish witchcraft at first. I'm now completely converted and will happily tootle about in auto despite my fancy pants triptronic gear box :p) I think in the end it would come down to purchase price. Sort of. The Freelander doesn't seem such a terrible deal when you only want to ferry about one large dog. Against that I could spend a little more on an Xtrail (and of course, adjust to the slightly bigger size) and get some benefits with handling and comfort.

I wish car buying was easier :(
 
they arent overly different on purhase price, and an xtrail isnt a tank, its more similar to a honda crv size wise, more of a crossover 4x4

where is my pic of loki in underwear?! huh huh?!
 
Vizslak said:
they arent overly different on purhase price, and an xtrail isnt a tank, its more similar to a honda crv size wise, more of a crossover 4x4

where is my pic of loki in underwear?! huh huh?!
Click to expand...

Did you post a request on BC's thread? I cannot talk about cars if so..... *rushes off to grab oldest and dodgiest knicks complete with camera*
 
Had a big chat with the OH re thi and he says the Jeeo Compass (not many made, crossover type vehicle but defo 4x4). And far between, decent one for £7000, normally two or so for sale in Autotrader. God, I'm good! :D
 
cinammontoast said:
Had a big chat with the OH re thi and he says the Jeeo Compass (not many made, crossover type vehicle but defo 4x4). And far between, decent one for £7000, normally two or so for sale in Autotrader. God, I'm good! :D
Click to expand...

Just had a look on Autotrader. Definitely produces an 'oooooh, shiny!' from me :D

Sadly though the cheapest diesel is 12k and 172 miles away. They seem to start at around 9k :( I'll definitely keep an eye on them though! :)
 
Nissan X-Trails are great. However, something that could also work is the Murano (sp). I think it's like a small 4x4 but designed for urban areas too. No idea on the boot space unfortunately but I've seen them out and about and they're good-looking cars.
 
I have a freelander (face lift) version 56-57 reg I think, I have a private plate on it.
I love it. I particularly like the look of them compared to all the other 4x4's of it's size and because we went for diesel, I had none of the gasket issues you get with the petrol *coughs* vizzy!:p. My mam bought my older freelander and she has had not issues with that and it was a 03 plate think.
Its also got a timing chain, so apparently no snappage either (sorry I dont even know what the feck thats all about)
I use the freelander for work and regan always accompanies me and there is more than enough room for her with the seats up and sometimes I take bubba, so an akita and a rotti, its only a short journey and they are both superbly well behaved in the boot (no guard) and for long journeys then I just pop the seats down.
We did look at the x trail, but I liked the interior of the freelander more (yes) I have a sport model with leather interior and all that crap but I still like the basic interiors more between the 2 and just the over all look of the freelander, not to small and not looking like a tank. I have a thing about things looking a specific way:D
The back window comes down so handy for air and for picking up long items from B n q:D
We are actually thinking of getting a small car as we have a van (esp for the dogs) but I love my freelander and cannot bear to part with it:o
 
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Pix said:
Just had a look on Autotrader. Definitely produces an 'oooooh, shiny!' from me :D

Sadly though the cheapest diesel is 12k and 172 miles away. They seem to start at around 9k :( I'll definitely keep an eye on them though! :)
Click to expand...

I think I might have a glance for one. With that mpg, it's worth forking out a few more grand short term for my purposes. Really, I want a filthy awld jalopy. I am ashamed at the dust on my dash but transporting 3 spangles twice daily to the woods (think melted Sarah Lee chocolate cake consistency) is making the CRV filthy!
 
see I had top spec freelander full leather etc, and the xtrail is the same, I prefer the xtrail interior, its less basic. BUT that said, I dont look at cars without leather so I cant comment on which would be nicer if they were both base models.
 
Wish they made cars with leather on the ceiling-it's impossible getting the mud off the material ceilings when the three of them have a shake!:(
 
I just wish I could fit the dog in the car.... so I could blame him for all the muck in there. Honestly, it's grim :o
 
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